You Can Thrive! Foundation

Nonprofit Issues:

Health, Breast Cancer

Address:

535 W 23RD STREET #S8R New YorkNY10011USA

Mission:

You Can Thrive! facilitates affordable mind body modalities for all breast cancer survivors, especially those under insured and under served who tend to fare worse after a diagnosis. Our overall program focus is to decrease symptoms while educating about prevention and environmental risk reduction in order to help provide tools for long-term survivorship. Our replicable program has provided care and prevention plans for 600 breast cancer survivors. We have educated 10,000 more on prevention and integrative care.

Results:

Preliminary outcome data shows statistically significant results in reducing symptoms and improving overall well being within four weeks of starting our program. Larger study to follow.

Target demographics:

Provide access to services not covered by insurance and for Low-income, ethnic disparities, breast cancer survivors, all cancer survivors

Photos

3 hours of volunteer time for this nonprofit will...

Help with Social Networking or volunteer at our front desk. If you are an experienced integrative practitioner join our truly integrative community for one shift a month. Work with others for an ideal volunteer experience.

3 hours of volunteer time for this nonprofit will...

Help with Social Networking or volunteer at our front desk. If you are an experienced integrative practitioner join our truly integrative community for one shift a month. Work with others for an ideal volunteer experience.

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Reviews for You Can Thrive! Foundation

I arrived at Thrive a few days before my chemo began, terrified about the toxic drugs coming down the pike and their potential effects on my otherwise healthy body. Fast forward a few months--all eight rounds of chemo completed--and I can tell you that two things got me through this physically and emotionally grueling time: support from my family and friends plus the services and community provided by You Can Thrive. The holistic modalities on offer (acupuncture, reiki and nutritional counseling to name a few) are top notch in easing pain and aiding healing, but it goes far beyond that. The practitioners who volunteer their time and expertise do so with such openness, warmth and a genuine desire to help the women they serve. As a client, I always felt welcomed and fully accepted by the providers, volunteers and founder Luana herself. It's a safe environment where breast cancer patients can doff their wigs, reveal their fears and share their stories, all while receiving wonderful, complementary treatments to balance the harsh effects of traditional cancer protocols. I'm grateful I found Thrive, through a survivor at a SHARE support group, and I'm happy when I can return the favor to another newly diagnosed woman. It's as if I'm passing along a treasured key that opens the door to surviving cancer with just a little more ease and grace and a lot more happiness and good health.

How do you feel you were treated by this organization?

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I was introduced to YCT by a friend during my chemo treatments, the first time I went to YCT location, couldn't believe the welcoming I received, everyone on this organization offers positive, caring and loving energy, I finished my chemo treatments, however as so many of us go thru the healing process, I was struggling with pain and no strength in my legs, YCT still have been offering me help to deal with my healing process, one of the treatments that has help me tremendously is reflexology, the improvement on the strength of my legs is incredible and the pain has lessen a great deal, along with the physical treatments they gave me spiritual guidance, I am very grateful to Luana and all her staff for a great work that they do, I wish there were more organizations like this one to help millions of us during these hardships.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

Upon hearing the diagnosis of breast cancer, needless to say i was beyond being upset. I was told about You Can Thrive through a doctor's office. Since going and meeting with Luana and her team of incredible people I have come in contact with many other foundations and groups. You Can Thrive is so unique in it's approach. It takes into account the entire person and what will benefit her the most. From Nutrition, acupuncture. aroma therapy, the love and support and above all the positive energy that is felt as soon as you walk in just to name a few of the things that are offered far exceeded any pre conceived ideas i may have had. Because of Luana I now know there is a bright journey ahead of me and I live in hope as opposed to being sad. May her and her foundation continue their mission to help those of us afflicted with a disease that most everyone fears and nobody wants.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I came to YCT recommended by my hospital. They kept trying to put me in groups where women sat in circles and spoke about how terrible their illness were and all the bad things happening to them, including all their fears and . I'm not a "group" person, but had done therapy in the past, so wasn't closed off to talking about what was going on through dealing with my (hopefully ex) cancer. The moment you step into You Can Thrive! you breath deep and are very relaxed. All the volunteers treat you like old loved friends who ask how you are ad offer advice on how to Thrive after this experience. I went there so scared, my hospital was an incompetent mess and I wanted to give up on going forwad with treatment. Every week I was at YCT, who ever the volunteer doing reiki, nutrition, acupuncture, reflexology or tapping was would first get to know you. To see how you were doing not only physically, but mentally. I get sooo much more care,love, time, attention and personal knowledge about my case then I have ever EVER gotten from my surgeon, plastic surgeon or oncologist. I can honestly say that without YCT I would have given up. Without their encouragement, offering nutritional and stress reducing services like massage, reike, reflexology and acupuncture I woudln't have been able to get through my radiation and all the errors at NYP that made we wonder if I was going through all this just to have them screw up and not catch a reoccurance later on. Luanne the founder spoke with me on how all systems are broken and how we need to advocate for ourselves every step of our treatment. So it's not just having wonderful treatments...It's having them from people who thoroughly understand what you are going through and who genuinely care about you thriving.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

This is a charity for breast cancer patients and survivors. They provide guidance and support on nutrition, intermediating on your health care such as contacting your doctors on behalf of patients but most important, they provide free holistic services (acupuncture, reiki, massage etc.) to women like me who couldn't otherwise afford it. Getting cancer treatment is horrific in a physical and emotional way and the hospitals who treat us do not offer these very necessary services. They helped me when I needed it most. And we meet other survivors which assists in our recovery.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I am a Massage and Polarity Therapist and I love giving session at YCT. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, easy to share your gifts and help women on their journey through/with Breast Cancer. Being a part of YCT helps me feel and remember the basic truth of just being with someone is the best medicine in the world.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I am a photographer and I photographed the services that You Can Thrive brings to women. Seeing the wonderful service they provide to women, and having a mother with breast cancer, it made me very proud to use my photography to spread the word about this wonderful, caring center. You Can Thrive not only helps women cope with Cancer, they truly help women thrive with the disease and live with it, raising their spirits! That is so meaningful to the women who feel no one else understands. It's a positive place where they encourage each other - laughter is the best medicine and they encourage and give women, who are devastated, a reason to laugh and be happy! Empowering!

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

You Can Thrive Foundation's services are cutting edge. YCT fills a gap where no gap should be and I am happy to be part of it. I offer Reflexology sessions to YCT clients who also receive other integrative services, as well as advocacy. YCT sets an example and has been doing so for years.

Would you volunteer for this group again?

For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?

Life-changing

Did the organization use your time wisely?

Very Well

Would you recommend this group to a friend?

Definitely

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2012

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1 previous review

Rating:
4 stars
February 16, 201102/16/2011

You Can Thrive is showing us the way. Women of all ages who are undergoing intense and long-term medical treatments associated with breast cancer and experience the trauma associated should be offered the kind of treatments that You Can Thrive provides.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

It is very rewarding to see that a client's breathing has moved from chest to belly, that stress and anxiety have been replaced with a smile. This is when true healing can take place. Reflexology does that! Reflexology should be part of any integrative care offered and integrative care should be offered at every hospital. Reflexology is non-invasive and is effective even when very little pressure is used.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

I would add links to a referral listing of all former and current professional practitioners offering sliding scale fees to YCT clients so they can continue to get treatments to sustain well being after they leave You Can Thrive and/or link to professional associations to enable clients who no longer can take advantage of the YCT service to easily locate professional practitioners throughout the state or even country....